Lesson #14: Something About Best Laid Plans [Bold Girls’ Bible]

Molly

So Monday night I watched the How I Met Your Mother finale and I, like the rest of the world, was left feeling a little empty. SPOILER ALERT: Uhm, the mother dies. She freaking dies. We spent nine seasons planning, waiting, wondering and hoping only to have her killed off in the last season and have Ted go running back to Robin. I’m not saying I hated the ending like most of the internet, it just left me feeling sad and empty. I know it would have been cheesy to end with the mother and Ted happily-ever-after, but I guess that’s just not real life. The writers planned and planned that ending for the last almost-decade, similarly Ted planned and planned and “universed” and “destinied” his wife. Both ended leaving me feeling empty, and you know there’s something about the best laid plans. They tend to go awry.

Judging by the haphazard nature of my current bedroom (or any past or future bedrooms, if I’m being honest), you’d probably be surprised to know that I am an immense control freak. If even the most insignificant of days starts to seem out of my control, I can not handle it. I start snapping at people. It could be the smallest thing. Example: yesterday I brought leftover mac ‘n’ cheese to school for lunch. I walked all around my school’s union in search of the microwave. We had recently remodeled. I was told the microwave was broken. I walked at least two blocks two my school’s Journalism building where they had a microwave. I figured I would just eat there. Once there I realized I forgot a plastic fork so back to the union I went. This actually ruined my entire day. I was pissed. You know there’s something about the best laid plans. They tend to go awry.

When I was younger I planned every detail of my future down to the guy I wanted to marry. It was Danny Zucko. Not John Travolta. Danny Zucko. I was devastated when I found out he was fictional. I thought I was going to marry the boy I dated right after high school. We would get a house together and both be teachers. Now that seems laughable. I’m not cut out to teach. I don’t like children. After heartbreaks and growing up, I finally resigned myself to move to New York City and be single forever. I wanted a bunch of dogs, and I wanted to “focus on my career.” I literally thought, “I don’t even want to think about dating men. Especially guys from Lincoln. Gross. I’m over this town.” I was on to bigger and better things, graduation in a year, a trip to Spain for the summer. I didn’t have time for petty things like dating. I had this conversation with one of my roommates and three weeks later I was in a relationship. You know there’s something about the best laid plans. They tend to go awry.

So stop planning, start living, and stop worrying about the future. I’m not saying YOLO yourself into failing all your classes. Do what you have to do to get by, but stop worrying about the future. You know there’s something about the best laid plans. They tend to go awry. You have no idea what’s going to happen, and that’s kind of the point. Right?

Molly is a senior journalism/English major at a school you haven’t heard of in a state you haven’t heard of. She’s obsessed with Chandler Bing, English bulldogs, and cheese. Follow her on twitter @mollymahannah, or check out her website accordingtomolly.com.